Detachable heel



April s, 1948. I FIM; MANCU'SQ 2,439,310

' DETACHABLE HEEL Filed Nov, 21, 1.946,

- Fig. 6.

I11 relztor Attorney:

rank M. Mancuso V Patented Apr. 6,. 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE HEEL Frahk M. Mancuso, lConcor'd, Staten Island, N. Y. Application November 21, 1945, serial No. "111,294

(o1. se --4'2 3 claims.

The present invention relates to detachable and interchangeable shoe heels such as. are adapted for optionally and selectively u's'able purposes, for example, in such situations where the user merely desires to readily discbnn'ect the heel for purposes of making repairs, or in slithercuihstances 'as the user wants to shift from high heels to low heels. or employing heels of varying olors and ornamental appearances.

As the preceding statement of the invention implies, I am aware that it is amen-er of eoim mon knowledge that detachable heels for aecem plishing the aforementioned pur oses are old and well known in the art; It follows, therefore, that the instant invention is based upon improved and novel ideas, compared to admittedly similar constructions, it being the principal object of the invention to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon similar prior art heel and shoe adaptations.

Another object of the invention is to provide coacting means between adjacent and shutting surfaces of the top portion of the heel and und'erside or bottom portion of the shoe upper which lends itself adaptable to commercially satisfactory and efficient use under expected trading conditions. 7 H

Another object of the invention, generally speaking, is to improve upon and reduce the number of parts entering into the combination, thereby not only increasing the efficiency of the structural assemblage as a whole, but also rendering the same less costly to manufacture and to otherwise simplify factors of assembling and sale.

More specifically, novelty is predicated upon heel assembling and retention means interposed between the heel and upper which means is characterized by a simple plate dovetailed in crosssectional form and constituting an attaching and retaining key, the co-acting portion of the heel having a correspondingly shaped recess forming a keyway for reception of the plate, there being a spring-projected latch provided, and said latch being controllable by a conveniently accessible trip level.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a shoe, in

the form of a slipper, constructed in accordance with the principles of the present ihvehtion. V

Figure 2 is a rear end elevation of the some; tui'e seen in Figure 1, that is, a yiew looking at Figure 1 in a direction from right to left. Figure 3 is a section taken approximately on the vertical line 3 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. v V V v Figure 4 is an exaggerated fragmentary set;- tieiji zi View taken or; the plane or the the 3:4 of Figure 1, also looking in the direction or the arrows. V I

ins re sis an enlarged fragmentary ofieitiidiaaiseetipnai vie w taken n the plane bf th line 5 5 of Figure 3, looking in the directioi'i "of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the heel per so. I k I Q Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing; reference num erals it will be seen that the shoe, as a unit 'is d e'no'te'dby the 1 and is chiracteriz ed by; st eamed lippcr 8 and t coact'ing with a sole it. The heel actors d"-'- t e portion of the upper, in the instan tion is constructed to accommodate a plate 7 I, said plate being oi appropriate iii-gn ail eovetail-shaped in cross=sectional form; The plate is serewea or otherwise secured in plate aria constitutes a key and is adapted to fit into a keyway I2 provided in the heel 9. The keyway I2 is in the form of a recess which opens through the inner face i3 oi the heel and which has its opposite end portion I4 terminating in spaced relation from the exposable rear and side surfaces I5 of said heel. Thus the heel is slipped into place with the key I I fitting into the keyway l2, this in an obvious manner.

ihe upper portion of the body of the heel is formed with a substantially L-shaped arrangement of bores, the vertical bore It being substantially centralized and the lateral bore I! being angularly disposed and opening through the surface l3 of the heel. There is a cylinder I8 mounted in the bore 16, said cylinder housing a coiled spring [9 which spring surrounds a reciprocatory latch and keeper pin 2%] whose upper end fits into a keeper socket or seat 2| provided in the underside of the key-plate II. There is a shoulder 22 on thelatch pin within the confines of the cylinder l8 thus causing the spring to press the latch into the keeper seat and to thus interlock the heel and upper. Plvotally connected as at 23 to the lower end of the latch pin is a lever 24. The lever is also pivotally mounted as at 25 in the branch passage or bore l1 and the free end of the lever is fashioned into a finger-piece 26 which is exposed and. thus made accessible through the face or surface [3 of said heel. 4

It will be evident that by shoving the heel into place and connecting the key and keyway together said heel is ready for use. However, to make sure that the heel will stay in position the latch means is handily employed. The latch snaps automatically into place when the latch pin is registered with its keeper seat. Then, when it is desired to detach the heel, the lever or operating trip-end of said lever is depressed to disengage the latch pin against the tension of the spring means, this in an obvious manner.

By standardizing the keyways and latch pin arrangement it is possible to employ a series or a set of various types of heels. Some may be high, others low, some colored, others specially decorated for special street and dress wear. By purchasing a single upper and a series of matchable and detachable heels therefor, one can appreciate the diversified character of the invention and the manner of fulfillment of various requirements of the trade.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a shoe upper including a counter provided on its underside with a keying plate, a detachable heel having a keyway for reception of said plate, said heel being provided with a subtantially central cylinder, a spring-Dressed latch-bolt mounted in said cylinder, said keying plate having a keeper recess for said latch-bolt, and a lever pivoted in a bore in said heel and operatively connected with said latch-bolt.

2. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a shoe upper including a counter provided on its underside with a keying plate, a detachable heel having a keyway for reception of said plate, said heel provided with a substantially central cylinder, a spring-pressed latch-bolt mounted in said cylinder, said keying plate having a keeper recess for said latch-bolt, and a lever pivoted in a bore in said heel and operatively connected with said latch-bolt, said lever having a finger-piece accessible through the bore.

3. In a shoe construction of the class described, an upper including a counter portion, said counter portion being provided on its underside with a fixedly mounted detachable heel keying and retaining plate, said plate being dovetailed in crosssectional form, a detachable heel, said heel having its upper end portion recessed to provide a keyway, said keyway being adapted to receive the key and being-dovetailed in cross-sectional form, and said keyway opening through the inner vertical surface of the heel and having its opposite end terminating in spaced relation from the rear vertical surface portions of said heel in order to conceal the key and keyway once the heelis attached to the upper for regular usage, an axially disposed, spring-pressed latch bolt mounted for operation in the central portion of said heel, said heel keying plate being provided with a recess forming a keeper seat for the coacting end portion of the latch bolt, and manually operable means mounted on the heel'and accessible through one face thereof for operating said latch bolt, said means being a pivotally mounted lever provided with a freely accessible finger piece.

FRANK M. MANCUSO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,829,253 Zubia Oct. '27, 1931 2,228,468 Manfredi' Jan. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 7 Date 9,282 Great Britain 1911 

